A few days ago, my friend, Bonnie, recommended a movie to me that she’d seen on Shudder.
It’s called Host:
Six friends get together during lockdown for their weekly zoom call. It’s Haley’s turn to organise an activity and instead of a quiz, she’s arranged for a Medium to conduct a séance. Bored and feeling mischievous, [I removed something here that’s kind of a spoiler. It’s better to discover this in the narrative]. The friends begin noticing strange occurrences in their homes as the evil presence begins to make itself known, and they soon realise that they might not survive the night. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL.
I haven’t been legit scared by a horror movie in YEARS, but Host really nailed it. It’s creepy, unsettling, genuinely scary, and BRILLIANT. I watched it alone in my gameroom after Anne had gone to sleep, and by the end, I was looking at every shadow in the room.
This is the first thing I’ve seen that was made post-Coronavirus, the first thing that is set in the fucked up world we’re trapped in right now. The filmmakers just fucking NAILED it. It’s so good, I’m not afraid of overselling it.
It’s only 56 minutes long, and every minute is just perfect. I love this movie, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Thanks, Wil! Mick Garris has said several times for the money, we ought to join Shudder ($5.99 a month). It brings you horror and thrillers from all over the world. I will keep this one in mind.
I hope you are keeping engaged, positive, and feeling better. I just saw Mary Trump on a Zoom Meeting with Jane Fonda’s Fire Drill Fridays which has a website where you can volunteer to help with the election. This was more about global warming and Green Peace than politics in general. That and the Lincoln Project has most of my focus.
This sounds exactly like what I need to see. Like you, I am really, really resistant to being scared by a movie. I think the last one that sort of affected me was Mama. Let’s hope this one keeps me up all night!
Thanks for the recommendation. Bonnie told to me to get Shudder too.
It sounds great! I’ll look for it. Thanks!!
Sweet!
Dark Skies legit scared the hell out of me. It might have been i watched it at midnight and i was home alone
When I saw the ad for this, I thought it sounded like a knockoff of “Unfriended” which was pretty lame and predictable. Wil Wheaton, how would you compare the two films?
I don’t recall much about Unfriended. I think I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it. But I loved Host, so that’s a pretty significant difference.
Indeed it is. Thanks! Also, thanks for your contributions to Concellation. You completely “didn’t kickoff” off a super fun “non-con!”
That sounds like daytime viewing in a bright room with the sound off.
Watched the trailer for it today. You aren’t the first I heard speaking praise about this one. It seems to really be well received. Hoping to check it out tonight or tomorrow.
As for Shudder itself, for those on here who may not be familiar with it, it is usually $5.99 a month (sometimes there are free months available too). Horror, thrillers, and not just standard films but shows and documentaries as well.
Sometimes they have specials running as well. Around Halloween they had a special of 31% off the yearly membership. So it came to about $3.21 a month for me. Really has a great catalog. New stuff, old classics, and old “bad” stuff to have an MST3K/RiffTrax night to.
Just watched it! Spooky and a good time!
This sounds awesome! I have a friend who is kinda my ‘horror movie buddy’, and I think she and I would really dig this.
Just caught it on Amazon Prime a couple of days ago. Wow, what a story! Amazing what they can cram into 56 minutes. Thanks for the recommendation, Wil!
I thought I would add another movie that is right up there and is the “legit shit” (pardon my English). You’ve probably see it already: ‘It Follows’. Scary as all get out. One of my favourites, next to Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’. Gotta love those stories where you can’t trust anyone or anything!
Thanks again for the recommendation!
It Follows was GREAT!
Update: Checked it out. Awesome. Really did a great job with the concept. Quick, creepy, scary, innovative.
OMG!! I watched it at night while hubby was out; bad move, I had to turn on every light in the house. Haven’t been this scared by a movie in a long time.
This was a genuinely unnerving, twitchy little film.. thanks for highlighting it.